Twin Knobs campground employees bring haunted trail to life

MOREHEAD, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — What started as an effort to provide something extra for campers has grown into a larger Halloween event at Twin Knobs Campground, with employees volunteering their own time and money to make it happen.

A haunted trail is wrapping up its second year at the campground. Employees spend weeks preparing the trail, setting up props and getting other parts of the event ready.

“Trying to do something a little extra for the campers,” lead host Denise Hawkins said of how the idea began.

Hawkins said the response grew quickly after the trail’s first year.

“Exploded,” Hawkins said. “It's just people come back week after week even though they know what it is because they just want to experience it again.”

The campground employees are largely responsible for putting the event together. District Manager Sandy Hall said staff members have purchased supplies and put in their own time.

“The staff has bought the movies, they've bought the equipment,” Hall said. “You know, they work on their own time with it. They're totally on their own with it.”

Employees say they spend about two weeks of their off-hours preparing for the event. Hawkins said employees also contribute their own money each year.

“Probably $3,000 each year, on the low side,” Hawkins said.

For the employees, the work has grown beyond putting together a haunted trail. Hall described it as “a full blown event for our community.”

The haunted trail is open to the public. A small fee is charged per carload.

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